diff --git a/lib/rake/clean.rb b/lib/rake/clean.rb
index 5af44015e..b52e832a9 100644
--- a/lib/rake/clean.rb
+++ b/lib/rake/clean.rb
@@ -28,10 +28,10 @@ def cleanup_files(file_names)
       end
     end
 
-    def cleanup(file_name, opts={})
+    def cleanup(file_name, **opts)
       begin
         opts = { verbose: Rake.application.options.trace }.merge(opts)
-        rm_r file_name, opts
+        rm_r file_name, **opts
       rescue StandardError => ex
         puts "Failed to remove #{file_name}: #{ex}" unless file_already_gone?(file_name)
       end
diff --git a/lib/rake/file_utils.rb b/lib/rake/file_utils.rb
index 00c9c9dca..e979eedb2 100644
--- a/lib/rake/file_utils.rb
+++ b/lib/rake/file_utils.rb
@@ -97,12 +97,11 @@ def set_verbose_option(options) # :nodoc:
   # Example:
   #   ruby %{-pe '$_.upcase!' <README}
   #
-  def ruby(*args, &block)
-    options = (Hash === args.last) ? args.pop : {}
+  def ruby(*args, **options, &block)
     if args.length > 1
-      sh(*([RUBY] + args + [options]), &block)
+      sh(RUBY, *args, **options, &block)
     else
-      sh("#{RUBY} #{args.first}", options, &block)
+      sh("#{RUBY} #{args.first}", **options, &block)
     end
   end
 
@@ -110,15 +109,15 @@ def ruby(*args, &block)
 
   #  Attempt to do a normal file link, but fall back to a copy if the link
   #  fails.
-  def safe_ln(*args)
+  def safe_ln(*args, **options)
     if LN_SUPPORTED[0]
       begin
-        return ln(*args)
+        return options.empty? ? ln(*args) : ln(*args, **options)
       rescue StandardError, NotImplementedError
         LN_SUPPORTED[0] = false
       end
     end
-    cp(*args)
+    options.empty? ? cp(*args) : cp(*args, **options)
   end
 
   # Split a file path into individual directory names.
diff --git a/lib/rake/file_utils_ext.rb b/lib/rake/file_utils_ext.rb
index bf558b749..e91ad595f 100644
--- a/lib/rake/file_utils_ext.rb
+++ b/lib/rake/file_utils_ext.rb
@@ -23,19 +23,18 @@ class << self
       opts = FileUtils.options_of name
       default_options = []
       if opts.include?("verbose")
-        default_options << ":verbose => FileUtilsExt.verbose_flag"
+        default_options << "verbose: FileUtilsExt.verbose_flag"
       end
       if opts.include?("noop")
-        default_options << ":noop => FileUtilsExt.nowrite_flag"
+        default_options << "noop: FileUtilsExt.nowrite_flag"
       end
 
       next if default_options.empty?
       module_eval(<<-EOS, __FILE__, __LINE__ + 1)
-      def #{name}( *args, &block )
-        super(
-          *rake_merge_option(args,
-            #{default_options.join(', ')}
-            ), &block)
+      def #{name}(*args, **options, &block)
+        super(*args,
+            #{default_options.join(', ')},
+            **options, &block)
       end
       EOS
     end
@@ -113,16 +112,6 @@ def when_writing(msg=nil)
       end
     end
 
-    # Merge the given options with the default values.
-    def rake_merge_option(args, defaults)
-      if Hash === args.last
-        defaults.update(args.last)
-        args.pop
-      end
-      args.push defaults
-      args
-    end
-
     # Send the message to the default rake output (which is $stderr).
     def rake_output_message(message)
       $stderr.puts(message)
diff --git a/lib/rake/task.rb b/lib/rake/task.rb
index 7629732f6..80824f37b 100644
--- a/lib/rake/task.rb
+++ b/lib/rake/task.rb
@@ -274,7 +274,11 @@ def execute(args=nil)
       end
       application.trace "** Execute #{name}" if application.options.trace
       application.enhance_with_matching_rule(name) if @actions.empty?
-      @actions.each { |act| act.call(self, args) }
+      if opts = Hash.try_convert(args) and !opts.empty?
+        @actions.each { |act| act.call(self, args, **opts)}
+      else
+        @actions.each { |act| act.call(self, args)}
+      end
     end
 
     # Is this task needed?
diff --git a/test/test_rake_file_utils.rb b/test/test_rake_file_utils.rb
index 7e9674fdc..ebedd56b2 100644
--- a/test/test_rake_file_utils.rb
+++ b/test/test_rake_file_utils.rb
@@ -39,6 +39,22 @@ def test_rm_filelist
     refute File.exist?("b")
   end
 
+  def test_rm_nowrite
+    create_file("a")
+    nowrite(true) {
+      rm_rf "a"
+    }
+    assert File.exist?("a")
+    nowrite(false) {
+      rm_rf "a", noop: true
+    }
+    assert File.exist?("a")
+    nowrite(true) {
+      rm_rf "a", noop: false
+    }
+    refute File.exist?("a")
+  end
+
   def test_ln
     open("a", "w") { |f| f.puts "TEST_LN" }